JSCMU-Chapter 36: Did She Really Guess Correctly?

Yun Jin found herself walking toward the counter.

Lined up neatly were a variety of medicinal herbs, with their prices varying according to type and age.

The apothecary behind the counter saw how young Yun Jin looked and frowned impatiently. “Little girl, if you’re here to look at herbs, go fetch your guardian. Don’t stand in the way and block my business.”

Although there weren’t any other customers around, Yun Jin obediently stepped aside.

With an innocent expression, she said sweetly, “Big sister, I was wrong. I’ll just stand here and watch, is that okay? I don’t know why, but looking at these herbs makes me feel warm and familiar. Sister, do you recognize all of them? That’s amazing!”

The apothecary: “…”

What did she say earlier?

This girl was so well-behaved, and she had actually scolded her? She was definitely going to lie awake tonight repenting.

The apothecary’s expression softened. She replied warmly, “For an apothecary, recognizing herbs is basic training. I’m currently a Level 5 apothecary. Next year, I’ll be eligible to take the certification to become an alchemist.”

A look of longing surfaced on her face. “If I can become an alchemist, even a mere first-rank one, that would be a dream come true.”

“Oh?” Yun Jin asked eagerly, “So you have to be an apothecary before becoming an alchemist?”

The woman smiled. “Most of the time, yes. But if someone can successfully refine a single batch of even the most basic first-grade pills, they qualify as an official alchemist right away. Those from elite families have access to the best resources from birth. Even if they fail a hundred times, they can afford to keep trying until they succeed once. For people like us, without resources or mentors, we can only work our way up through the apothecary ranks and take each exam in turn. It took five years for me to rise from Level 1 to Level 5. That’s already considered pretty fast. But the final leap, from apothecary to alchemist, is the hardest.”

She sighed as she finished.

In this cultivation world, the children of powerful clans played life on easy mode. For ordinary folks like her, every step was a struggle.

“I see,” Yun Jin nodded thoughtfully. “Where do they conduct alchemist certification exams?”

The apothecary smiled. “There’s a branch of the Pill Pavilion on the eastern side of the market. You can take the test there. The Pill Pavilion is a coalition of all alchemists and is backed by one of the Four Great Holy Lands, the Xuandan Sect. If someone shows exceptional talent, they might even be directly recruited by Xuandan Sect.”

Her eyes shone with yearning.

Yun Jin nodded earnestly.

Perfect. Time to take the test!

If she wanted to refine a Heaven Mending Pill within the next three months, becoming a certified alchemist was a must.

Even if it meant burning through all her simplification attempts.

Raising her alchemist rank while mastering the Azure Lotus Sword Technique. Suddenly Yun Jin realized even 157 simplifications might not be enough!

She needed more chances to show off.

The apothecary noticed Yun Jin’s gleaming eyes and mischievous expression, and chuckled. “Little sister, you want to become an alchemist too? That’s a lovely dream. But you’ll need to take it step by step. If you start now, maybe in ten years, you’ll be a full-fledged apothecary like me. And who knows? One day, you might just make it.”

Yun Jin nodded seriously. “Yes, big sister, that’s exactly how it is.”

Her obedient demeanor made the apothecary smile.

But then Yun Jin’s face grew solemn. “Actually, I think I’m a genius. I believe I can skip the steps and become an alchemist right away.”

Apothecary: “???”

“Emotion Points +30!”

Yun Jin blinked. “When I become an alchemist, I’ll never forget your guidance today. I’ll make sure to bring you along for the glory!”

The apothecary didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She could only say, “Alright, alright. I’ll wait for that day.”

Yun Jin was about to say more, when someone suddenly grabbed her collar and lifted her up.

Yue Zhao glared at her. “Yun Jin! Why are you running off again?”

“I wasn’t running off!” she protested. “I was looking at herbs. Eldest Senior Brother, instead of buying pills, it’s much more cost-effective to buy ingredients and refine them ourselves. There’s so much profit margin there. I was trying to save money.”

Yue Zhao’s mouth twitched. “Who doesn’t know refining your own pills is cheaper? The issue is, who’s going to do it?”

In the entire Tianxing Sect, there was only one alchemist above Grade 5, the head of Refining Pill Peak, Master Huo Lie. Other than him, the sect barely had a handful of certified alchemists.

If Zhao Wuji asked, they would line up to help. But for their Heavenly Sword Peak?

No alchemist would even look their way!

“Why ask others?” Yun Jin said confidently. “Let’s just train our own alchemist!”

Yue Zhao tapped her forehead. “And how exactly do we do that? Without any inheritance, how are you going to learn?”

Top-tier pill refining techniques were monopolized by the Xuandan Sect. Whatever remained was handed down privately through strict lineages.

For outsiders to learn, they have to join the sect. And even then, only the most talented had any chance of being accepted.

For ordinary people, becoming an alchemist was like reaching for the stars.

“I’m such a genius, I think I should give it a try,” Yun Jin declared with confidence.

“Pfft.” The nearby apothecary couldn’t help but laugh.

Yue Zhao looked thoroughly embarrassed. He clutched Yun Jin tightly, ready to drag her away. “Sorry, sorry for the disturbance.” 

“What disturbance?” Yun Jin clung to a nearby pillar, refusing to budge. “I really believe I have talent in this area!”

Yue Zhao’s face darkened further.

He never should have brought her here.

Come to think of it…

Why did he think this little junior sister was soft, cute, and harmless when they first met?

Where did that illusion even come from!?

The apothecary chuckled, amused. “Little sister, it’s good to have dreams. But things have to be done step by step. To become an alchemist, the foundation is herbal identification. And it’s not as simple as just knowing what a plant looks like. Even the same herb can have different properties depending on how and where it was grown. That’s why a qualified apothecary must learn how to attune themselves to herbs and sense their unique characteristics. For example, this Biling Grass. It’s the main ingredient for refining Biling Pills. Why don’t you give it a try? Try sensing its medicinal potency and see if there are any secondary properties.”

What she really meant was, even becoming an apothecary was hard enough. Never mind becoming an alchemist.

“Sure!” Yun Jin replied without hesitation. “Eldest Senior Brother, let me go. I’ll give it a shot.”

Reluctantly, Yue Zhao loosened his grip.

The apothecary smiled. “No harm in letting her try. Kids always think everything is easy until they see for themselves.”

Yue Zhao relaxed a bit and was about to say something when,

He heard Yun Jin’s clear, crisp voice,

“Biling Grass. Age: Fifty years old. Potency: eighty percent remaining. It grew in an overly damp area, so its nature has shifted slightly toward cold. It’s best to neutralize it before use.”

“This kid sure made it sound convincing.” Yue Zhao was still laughing when he turned to see the apothecary staring at Yun Jin like she had seen a ghost.

Yue Zhao froze mid-breath.

Yue Zhao: “???”

Please don’t scare him!

That expression!

Had Yun Jin really guessed correctly?